SOUTHEAST, SIU SPLIT SOFTBALL DOUBLEHEADER

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Kristen King and Erin Stremsterfer exchanged pitching gems Tuesday as Southeast Missouri State University and Southern Illinois split a softball doubleheader.

SIU's Stremsterfer hurled a five-hitter in the opener as the Salukis prevailed 5-0. She struck out eight and walked one.

But Southeast's King came right back with a four-hitter in the nightcap as the Otahkians won 4-0. She fanned two and did not issue a walk.

SIU is now 15-8 while Southeast is 4-8.

After being blanked in the opener, it didn't take long for the Otahkians to break through in the second game. With two outs in the top of the first inning, Jenny Doehring walked and Renee Enos belted a two-run homer.

Reagan Hamlin drilled a solo blast in the second as the Otahkians went ahead 3-0. They scored their final run in the sixth.

Southeast had six hits in the nightcap to finish with 11 on the day. Enos, Dawn Piantino and Emmy Kisaka all had two hits for the Otahkians.

Doehring was the losing hurler in the opener, allowing eight hits and all five runs (four earned). She fanned four and walked one.

The Otahkians will play a doubleheader today at Mississippi before heading to Atlanta, Ga., for this weekend's Georgia Tech Buzz Classic that will feature some of the nation's premier teams, including third-ranked California, which Southeast will play Friday.